A fundraising campaign started by a woman who died from a rare form of cancer has led to the planned start of vital research into the disease.

Angela Butcher, from Biggleswade, was diagnosed with small cell ovarian cancer in 2012 aged 30 and discovered just days later that it had spread to all her vital organs.

Her main concern was that no research had ever been carried out in the world and during the last few months of her life, set about to change this, launching a fundraising campaign while being treated at the University College London Hospitals (UCLH), and later cared for at St John’s Hospice.

Inspired by Angela, her family and friends have continued fundraising and Angela’s Small Cell Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at The Eve Appeal now her family has announced it stands at an impressive £38,000.

The Eve Appeal and Professor Martin Widschwendter of the UCLH have been liaising with specialists and researchers on the best way forward for research.

Her mother Linda said: “During an exciting meeting with the Eve Appeal, researchers and our family, the fantastic news emerged that research would begin in March - Ovarian Cancer Month and coincidently the month that Angela was born in 1982 - and this would be carried out in Cambridge, the city where Angela was born.”

Martin, the Eve Appeal’s chief scientist, will have a keen interest in this research which will be carried out at The Cambridge University Genetic Research Centre by Dr Marc Tischkowitz, university lecturer and

honorary consultant in medical genetics at the University of Cambridge.

They will work closely with other researchers in the field and initially it will be a 15-month project, funded with £30,000 from Angela’s fund.

Angela’s family are passionate about reaching a five-year research project, with a total cost of £120,000 and fundraising is continuing.

The next fundraisers include one by Sarah Caine, of the Biggleswade Ladies Circle, who hosts a Bacon ‘Butty’ Morning on Saturday, February 13; Angela’s Charity Birthday Bash and Research Celebrations will be held at the Working Men’s Club, Biggleswade on Saturday, March 12 with plans for a games afternoon, an annual par 3 golf challenge, a garden party and a quiz night to follow later in the year.

Many other fundraising events are taking place. If you would like to support Angela’s small cell ovarian cancer research fund at The Eve Appeal, please contact Linda Butcher on 07730 319209 or message Mark James Butcher on Facebook.